The Unfit Heiress: The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt

For listeners of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and The Phantom of Fifth Avenue, a pause-ressing drama of fortunes, eugenics, and women's reproductive rights framed by the sordid court battle between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her socialite mother.

At the turn of the 20th century, American women began to reject Victorian propriety in favor of passion and livelihood outside the home.

This alarmed authorities, who feared certain "over-sexed" women could destroy civilization if allowed to reproduce and pass on their defects.

Set against this backdrop, The Unfit Heiress chronicles the fight for inheritance, both genetic and monetary, between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her mother, Maryon.